Island paradise: When a kitchen island is right for you

Tuesday

Jun 26, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 26, 2007 at 9:46 AM

Feature on kitchen islands.

Michael Savino

People often look to maximize space and elegance in the center of their home -- the kitchen. And installing an island in the kitchen can be a great way to add both elements, as long as the layout of the room allows it. If done right, the island can also add to the value of the home by making the kitchen more attractive and desirable.

“It makes the kitchen more flexible and allows for more room to work,” said Guy Scribner, owner of Scribner’s Kitchen and Bath in Norwich. The island can add to the beauty of the room as well, especially if the home owner chooses a stone counter.

Properly installing an island does take a lot of planning, however. Obviously, you first should make sure an island can fit in your kitchen. If the island is not planned correctly, it can do more harm than good to the kitchen.

Cabinets, drawers and appliances will not open completely if they are too close to the island. It can also limit the amount of space homeowners have for preparing food and socializing, which can defeat the purpose of the island.

Scribner’s Kitchen and Bath does not install an island unless the customer is renovating the kitchen, which could help the customer free up some space. Other companies will only install an island, but they still examine the situation closely first.

“Some people can’t have an island,” said Nader Salahi, owner of Kitchen and Bath Outlet in Norwich, “but then you start to look at the peninsula.”

A peninsula counter is a common solution for those who do not have the room for an island. As the name suggests, it is connected to the wall on one end, and the rest is open, giving a similar feel as an island.

The space is not the only issue that needs planning, however. You also need to determine what kind of look you want for your island.

You can choose from plenty of material for the countertop, including laminates, tile or stone. You also need to decide whether the cabinets will match the other cabinets in the kitchen.

“The trend is now to do all the cabinets the same. That’s what we’re seeing,” Scribner said.

You can even change the shape and layout of the island. Scribner said you can get one with split levels, with certain sections 42 inches high.

This height can make it easier to add certain appliances for food preparation. But he suggested at least a portion of the counter be only 36 inches tall, because it offers a more natural feel when you sit down.

“That’s (42 inches) a little awkward for some people,” he said, especially for shorter adults and children.

He also said putting fixtures into the island may limit its usefulness. Some fixtures, such as sinks, require an extra buffer, which can then cut down on space.

With all the planning and expertise involved, an island can be a difficult task if you are a do-it-yourselfer. Scribner, for example, does not recommend this job as a simple home improvement.

“I’d say for the average person, this can be very, very difficult.”

Many kitchen designers said they offer advice if you wanted to do it alone.

Nick Way, kitchen designer for the Home Depot in Uncasville, said kitchen islands have become popular among people looking to improve their home.

“It’s a popular project, but it’s not a particularly easy project to do,” he said. He added the more elegant designs can be even more challenging.

“The ones most people like talk some level of cabinetry expertise.” But he and others in the store would be willing to help in the planning.

Whether doing it alone or hiring an expert, you should expect to wait. Way said cabinets can take four weeks to get, and counters can take three. Scribner said his customers have a similar waiting period for granite or other stone surfaces. If there is a lot of custom work, the time can vary.

The price can also fluctuate, depending on the material. Granite and other stone materials will be more expensive than traditional countertops.

TIPS

If you are planning a kitchen remodel that will include an island, consider these tips:

- Most importantly, there should be sufficient space between the island and other work surfaces to allow for opening cabinet and appliance doors, and for two people to work without jostling one another.

- Depending on your needs, the island can be located so it functions as an integral part of the work area. It can also serve as a divider between the kitchen and the family room.

- Adding an island permits a reconfiguration of the classic "work triangle" of refrigerator, cooktop and sink, because it is an ideal place to relocate either the cooktop or the main sink, or to install a second sink as the focal point of a second work triangle.

- If the cooktop will be located in the island, with a wall oven elsewhere, consider pull-out trays or drawers below the cooktop to store pots and pans. If the island will be a second work station with a prep sink for cleaning veggies and the like, NKBA suggests including a pull-out wastebasket in the cabinet below.

- Be sure to plan for the mechanicals necessary for the locating the cooktop or sink in the center of the room. For the sink you'll need supply and drain lines, and for the cooktop a ventilation system-either an overhead unit or a downdraft model. Both the plumbing and downdraft unit will require breaking through the floor. That's fine if you have a basement or a crawl space beneath, but could present problems if the room is on a slab.

- If your island will separate the kitchen and family room, it can become a multi-purpose unit that shows a different face to the family room. The use of shallow, glass-fronted doors can be used as display space, while the kitchen side uses standard-depth base cabinets for no-nonsense storage. The generous countertop is ideal for staging a buffet.

- Don't forget about adequate lighting. Without it, the island will lose much of its functional appeal.

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